Cellphone Cancer Warning as Malignant Brain Tumors Up 135%

MHB has published numerous posts over the years on the health dangers posed by wireless technology. It should perhaps go without saying that there are many privacy concerns as well. A new epidemiological study now suggests that this “looming health crisis” is becoming more and more apparent as the number of a specifically aggressive type of brain tumor in the sample has more than doubled.

Since the rapid rise of cellphone and wireless use in the late 1990s there have been few warnings by public health agencies or organizations on the potential dangers of such technology. Because cellular telephony is a multi-billion dollar business regulatory authorities have downplayed any health impact, relying on the radically outmoded notion that if the devices do cannot produce enough radiation to cause noticeable fluctuations in skin or body temperature they pose no health risk.

Fresh fears have been raised over the role of mobile phones in brain cancer after new evidence revealed rates of a malignant type of tumour have doubled in the last two decades.

Charities and scientists have called on the Government to heed longstanding warnings about the dangers of radiation after a fresh analysis revealed a more “alarming” trend in cancers than previously thought.

However, the new study, published in the Journal of Public Health and Environment, has stoked controversy among scientists, with some experts saying the disease could be caused by other factors.

The research team set out to investigate the rise of an aggressive and often fatal type of brain tumour known as Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).

They analysed 79,241 malignant brain tumours over 21 years, finding that cases of GBM in England have increased from around 1,250 a year in 1995 to just under 3,000.

Last night the group said the increasing rate of tumours in the frontal temporal lobe “raises the suspicion that mobile and cordless phone use may be promoting gliomas”.

Professor Denis Henshaw said: “Our findings illustrate the need to look more carefully at, and to try and explain the mechanisms behind, these cancer trends, instead of brushing the causal factors under the carpet and focusing only on cures.”

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About The Author

James F. Tracy's work on media history, politics and culture has appeared in a wide variety of academic journals, edited volumes, and alternative news and opinion outlets. James is editor of Union for Democratic Communication’s Journal Democratic Communiqué and a contributor to Project Censored’s forthcoming publication Censored 2013: The Top Censored Stories and Media Analysis of 2011-2012. Additional writings and information are accessible at memoryholeblog.com.